The present invention relates to UCN-01 and a process for production thereof. UCN-01 has an anti-tumor activity and an anti-bacterial activity and is useful as an anti-tumor agent, a bactericide, etc.
The present inventors have made screening of microorganisms producing a substance with a useful pharmacological activity and have found that a microorganism belonging to the genus Streptomyces isolated from the soil in Tsuno-gun, Yamaguchi Prefecture, produces a substance having an anti-tumor activity and an anti-bacterial activity. As a result of further investigations, the present inventors have successfully isolated and purified an active substance UCN-01 and have confirmed from its physicochemical properties that UCN-01 is a novel substance, and thus the present invention has been established.
Staurosporine, which is structurally analogous to UCN-01, is described in J. C.S. Chem. Comm., pp.800-801 (1978). UCN-01 has a superior anti-tumor activity as compared with staurosporine.